ABSTRACT
The endocrine system of the rat, as in other species, is a complex series of inter-relationships between the pancreatic islets, adrenal, thyroid and parathyroid glands, and the pituitary gland. The pituitary is controlled, via the hypothalamus, by input from various areas of the brain, not all of which are fully characterised. Endocrine glands are exquisitely sensitive to changes in the stimulating or inhibiting hormones which control their function, and spontaneous non-neoplastic changes and tumours are an important feature of the morbidity and mortality in the rat.
